Memristor comprising film with comb-like structure of nanocolumns of metal oxide embedded in a metal oxide matrix

Abstract

Films having a comb-like structure of nanocolumns of Sm2O3 embedded in a SrTiO3 formed spontaneously on a substrate surface by pulsed laser deposition. In an embodiment, the nanocolumns had a width of about 20 nm with spaces between nanocolumns of about 10 nm. The films exhibited memristive behavior, and were extremely uniform and tunable. Oxygen deficiencies were located at vertical interfaces between the nanocolumns and the matrix. The substrates may be single-layered or multilayered.

Description

PRIORITY CLAIM TO A RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61 / 826,753 entitled “Memristor Comprising Film with Comb-Like Structure of Nanocolumns of Metal Oxide Embedded in a Metal Oxide Matrix,” filed May 23, 2013, which is incorporated by reference herein.STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERAL RIGHTS[0002]This invention was made with government support under Contract No. DE-AC52-06NA25396 awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy. The government has certain rights in the invention.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0003]The present invention relates generally to the preparation of memristors having nanocolumns of a first metal oxide embedded in a matrix of a second metal oxide.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0004]A memristor is a circuit element that can remember its previous state[1, 2]. Its main fingerprint is a pinched-hysteresis loop when subjected to bipolar periodic stimuli. This fingerprint has been observed in nanoionics [3-5], met...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Nanoionic circuit elements that can operate at room temperature have not yet been prepared by any process other than electroforming.

However, there are problems associated with the use of electroforming to provide memristive behavior because electroforming is a destructive process with a random and uncontrollable nature [11, 15, 17].

Samples may be damaged or destroyed by the high voltage or current [15], and memristors prepared by electroforming may also suffer from problems of non-uniformity and non-reproducibility [11, 17].

Although this second approach provides large concentrations of oxygen vacancies distributed throughout lateral interfaces [21, 22], it is not readily adaptable for preparing circuit elements because current flowing in lateral directions results in both the poor integration density and the processing difficulty in device fabrication.

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